Own a piece of rock history… if you can afford it

Iconic rock and pop memorabilia belonging to Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and The Beatles is estimated to make £1 million at Christie's auction house, London. The sale, which includes the actual Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band bass drumskin and John Lennon's hand-written lyrics to Give Peace A Chance, coincides with Beatles Day in Liverpool on 10 July.

More big draws include Lennon's tinted prescription sunglasses, a previously unheard recording of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and a 1966 Marshall amp used by Hendrix in the late 1960s. Pete Townshend's Gibson SG Special in Cherry Red, Paul Weller's 1974 Rickenbacker 330 and an Acoustic 361 bass stack circa 1969 belonging to Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones are also up for grabs.

The hand-painted Sgt. Pepper drum is expected to fetch more than £100,000 and the Give Peace A Chance lyrics more than £200,000. John Lennon wrote the song during the legendary Montreal Bed-In and gave the lyrics to the then 16-year-old Gail Renard who had sneaked into the protest.

Now a comedy writer, Ms Renard wants to share her prize possession: "I've had these lyrics for almost 40 years and I've been thinking it's a shame that no one else can see them. I don't know exactly what I am going to do with the money but I know I will give some to War Child because that seems very appropriate".

All the items can be viewed at Christie's South Kensington from 5 July. That Sgt. Pepper's drum would look great in the MusicRadar office – anyone?